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Monday, November 13, 2017

I
am a practicing ceramic artist with a passion for drawing, hyper-realistic
ballpoint pen renderings (see image left of five clawed dragon). Herein lies an innovative and creative output opportunity;
to capitalise on the latest digitally printed ceramic transfer technology, to
reproduce my drawings for a variety of surface development options in a diverse
range of ceramic products and statements.

As
expressive ceramics, the transfers are applied to modelled, moulded and press
moulded up-scaled ceramic shards, in a series titled Manufaction (title image and image above). Alternatively, the transfers are applied to ready-mades
in a limited edition of design orientated crafted products (jug with stand, image left).

At
the centre of my creative output is my philosophical approach around making; thinking through drawing (drawing of the rooster above) and
design. My work celebrates the handmade, referencing Asian craft traditions
from a historical and creative perspective, in the creation of contemporary ceramic
statements. I mainly visualise and realise my ideas and concepts in terms of cutting
edge ceramic techniques and processes in a digital and information age.

Every mark of the crosshatched ball point pen
drawings is visible in the digitally printed ceramic transfers. and applied to
the shards in a variety of creative and innovative surface development options.
My aim is to explore traditional blue and white ware surface decoration,
illustrated mainly in blue ballpoint pen ink on acid free paper. I reference
mainly figuration and motifs found on traditional blue and white wares of the
Ming Dynasty – produced for global trade.

The final works have a cutting-edge
contemporary expressive function. The first shard I produced however, featured
here, showcases a digitally printed ceramic transfer of my ballpoint rendering
of Albrecht Durer’s finely crafted Iris
Troiana.

The drawing was executed for an artist’s book installation titled,
read, peep & reap. The tile of the
artist book installation prompts the viewer to consider the death of the crafts
and the handmade in a digital age.

Celebrating
the art of drawing and fine craftsmanship in bookbinding, it pays homage to the
ultimate ‘artisan’, Dürer, who was not only a painter,
printmaker and engraver but also a mathematician.

The original drawing was scanned and
photo-shopped to produce a variety of digitally printed ceramic transfers. Black
and white transfers of the flower were applied to the outer fragmented and
shattered edges of the press moulded and carved shard. The full colour
transfers of the Iris Troiana were
placed in the centre of the shard – unblemished and damaged by the implied
journey in and over time – from a dedicated handmade (a crafted aesthetic) to a
digitally crafted and produced product (a digitally handmade aesthetic).

The
shard therefore, with its shattered edges and fragmented transfers including perfectly
rendered Iris Troiana in the centre (in
full colour), embodies metaphorical journey – a crossover from hand crafted to
the digitally handmade.Shards have for
centuries been the centre for archaeological studies in the movement of peoples
and cultures across continents and oceans – from east to west and from Europe to
the colonies.

My latest work in the shard series, Manufraction, is adorned with digitally printed ceramic transfers of my blue ballpoint pen rendering of a Barn Swallow. Three million Barn Swallows migrate every year to Mount Moreland in KwaZulu Natal (one roost site).

A lifestyle that takes it thousands of kilometres across the globe during migration and which brings it in close contact with humans during spring and summer. The migratory bird best illustrates the implied

journey in the shard series. Adding fourth dimension to the notion of journey in the work.

The transfers in various sizes are cutup and applied to the fractured and shattered shards in a variety of configurations, illustrating amongst other, the plight of destitute refugees and their migration across the globe (diaspora)

However,
for this ceramic artist it has more to do with the creolization of cultures in
a glocal society. The symmetrical and asymmetrical transfer configurations take
on a surreal cloning quality in various zones of the fragmented shard.
Typifying the stresses, strains and scenes in migratory crossovers/verges;
happenstances/ associated with a diaspora of various peoples and cultures.

Secondly, the transfers are applied to ready-mades
manufactured by Voster and Braye. Their forms and shapes closely resemble a
modernist oriental design style with smooth surfaces - perfect for exploring an
endless variety of compositions in transfer applications when applying a
bespoke approach.

The range showcased here references traditional blue and
white wares made for global trade (Ming Dynasty) in digital and information age.
The aim is to produce one-of-a-kind ceramic ware with a digitally handmade aesthetic.
This is achieved by capitalising on the advancements in digitally printed
ceramic transfers - making it possible to order one print, one sheet with a
bespoke approach in the design and layout of the transfer.

Friday, January 6, 2017

Exactly a year ago, two friends and I, did
a trip to Vietnam. We only spent a couple of weeks there. Our first stop was
the city of Ho Chin Minh in the south of Vietnam. Thereafter we flew to Hanoi,
in northern Vietnam. The trip north included a number of days marveling at the
beautiful landscapes; the intriguing limestone boulders of Halong Bay. This was a breathtaking and enlightening experience.

Another highlight of
my visit to this historically significant country was a little gem of a temple
located in the 5th district of Ho Chin Minh. It is housed on five floors in an unassuming building in a narrow cul-de-sac. I have
visited a number of temples in India, China, Taiwan and in Vietnam and this one
rates as one of the most incredible I have ever experienced. As a matter of
fact it was not listed in the Eyewitness Travel guide titled Vietnam & Angkor
Wat. Fulvio De Stefanis, an avid travel and well versed in technology,
discovered it as a must see listing with TripAdvisor as Chu Van Phat – Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas.

Captured here are images of the temple,
as seen from the modest outside and its surroundings, depicting the Buddha
configurations on each floor leading up the stairs to the major Buddha installation
on the top floor, where as the title suggests, a vast number of Buddhas,
situated in small cubicles, decorate the walls in extraordinary fashion.

Nothing prepares you for this visual experience, and more importantly, your heart and soul. Numerous trips
to temples, cathedrals and museums can get overwhelming, however now and then a
very special gem is a creative indulgence – often when you least expect it. To
be honest we were taken off course in the opposite direction with Uber.
Determined as always, we made a u-turn, and after a traffic-laden journey we arrived at our destination. And what an experience it turned
out to be – our pilgrimage to find the temple did not disappoint – our
determination paid off, big time.

I take the liberty to include some of
the TripAdvisor Reviewer Highlights. Visitor ratings are as follows – 13
excellent and 2 good. There are 26 review listings for this place of worship.
Below find a few of the reviews, providing insight into the impact the
visual gestalt had on those privileged enough to visit the site. Follow the
provided TripAdvisor link to obtain more site specifics and other relevant
information such as other landmarks in the area, including accommodation specific to your traveling needs.

“must do”

Absolutely incredible, un assuming from
the outside but uplifting when inside. Up the stairs to the very top is the
gift you came for. Richard E, Palm Springs, California. 31
October 2016.

“so beautiful!”

I had missed this temple on a previous
visit to Ho Chin Minh. So pleased to have experienced it this time around. This
is one of the most amazing temples, so beautiful...a real hidden treasure. I
highly recommend finding this temple. Suzanne K, Brisbane, Australia. 4
January 2016.

“Most stunning temple I have ever seen,
and I have seen a few…..”

This temple is truly a hidden gem,
locked away at the end of a small alley. When you enter the building you have
no clue what will be awaiting you on the top floor! Lower floors are dedicated
to honour the deceased. It is humbling to be allowed to wander around this
place of worship where people are mourning their …. Maria E. Jakarta, Indonesia. Reviewed 21
November 2015.

Most temples I have visited, like the one captured here, above and on the left, are excessively decorated in every way possible, this includes the exterior and interior, as
well as every part of the complexly crafted structure, including the pillars,
the walls, the roof as well as the furniture and religious objects placed on
the tables surrounding the central Buddha figure. Offerings in all forms,
shapes and colour add to an already visually complex experience. Rich
colour combinations exploit the colour wheel to good effect, further enhanced
by lighting and gilding. The smell of burning incense adds to the overall
religious and spiritual experience. It does not get more excessive.The following YouTube video produced by Thomas brings the Chu Van Phat – Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas to life.

And this is what makes the visit of Chua
Van Phat, the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas, very special. The religious
installation of Buddhas and religious paraphernalia are thoughtfully integrated
into the understated building structure. From a distance religious objects
honouring the dead on mass are displayed behind glass in repetitive rows to
read as an integrated whole, very much like a complex Chinese calligraphy
scroll – when displayed in its entirety on a museum wall, from a distance, the calligraphy reads as patterns, texture and or decoration.

This design approach is put to even greater
effect on the top floor. When you enter the main room, the vast number of
buddhas, 10 000 of them, are displayed in as many woodcarved niches, it reads
as complex three dimensional wall paper. However the overall effect provides a
perfectly simple backdrop to the huge central Buddha figure with colourfull
religious paraphernalia on both sides. The little Buddhas are recessed into
their shadowy niches creating a complimentary three-dimensional decorative
effect. Simplicity in its complexity – it is very special indeed.

I often wonder who designs these
incredible places of worship, are there various teams working together and what
process of visualization and realization is followed. I would really like to
view the drawings, the design renderings of the architect and interior
designers, from concept to design ideas and more importantly the capturing of
various design options for finishes – the inclusion of decoration and colour
options. Then there are the artisans that realize the creations in a variety of
materials and finishes. One marvels at their creativity and design expertise. I
dedicate this blog post to the visionaries, designers and artists and
especially the artisans that created this spectacular Temple. A truly
remarkable experience.

Title image: Ceramic installation with projected animation titled, and the ship sails on. In celebration of the Chinese year of the dragon. Follow link to view video on You Tube.EUGENE HŐN : CERAMIC ARTISTThe purpose of this blog is to inform you of the creative thinking behind my ceramic statements.I will therefore provide reference material to facilitate greater interaction with you in the development of ceramic concepts. The expressed views and posted comments are intended to illustrate how the ceramic statements act as a vehicle for an expanding discourseon relevant art, design and craft issues.

About Me

I am a ceramic artist with a passion for drawing. My ceramic statements are a creative response to the literary sources I choose to read. I am also an academic, recently appointed Director of the FADA Gallery at the University of Johannesburg. I am an artist that celebrates the handmade, with strong concepts and meaning that straddles the disciplines of ceramics, sculpture, drawing, artist’s books, digital printing, animation, video or digital projection Installation and ultimately design.